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Physical Exam for Pneumonia

Topic Overview

When you visit your doctor for suspected
pneumonia, he or she will check:

Your heart rate. It may be faster if you have a
fever or are
dehydrated.

Your temperature. You usually
have a fever in pneumonia.

Your breathing. Fast, shallow breathing;
difficulty breathing; and shortness of breath often are symptoms of
pneumonia.

Whether you have chest pain.

Your oxygen
level.

Other symptoms, if you have any. For example, rash may
develop in some people who have pneumonia. Other symptoms may include fatigue,
muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, cough, and dehydration. Complications of
pneumonia may include stiff neck (a symptom of
meningitis), swollen joints, and abdominal
(belly) pain.

Your doctor also will listen to your chest for:

Crackling or bubbling noises (rales) made by
movement of fluid in the tiny air sacs of the lung.

Dull thuds
heard when the chest is tapped (percussion dullness), which indicate that there
is fluid in a lung or collapse of part of a lung.

Sounds made by
rubbing of swollen (inflamed) lung tissue on the lining of the lung cavity
(pleural friction rub).

Lack of breath sounds in a certain area of
the chest, which may mean that air is not entering an area of the
lung.

Wheezing, which usually means inflammation or spasm is
present in the bronchial tubes.

"E" to "A" changes in the lungs
(egophony). Your doctor may have you say the letter "E" while he listens to
your chest. Pneumonia may cause the "E" to sound like the letter "A" when heard
through a stethoscope.

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